A hype free curated Movie and Music Review blog from the Websnacker and Crew. Plus Irreverent Commentary, Slice of Life Vignettes and Random Incisive Thoughts on Culture, Travel, Design, Marketing, Activism, Environment, Men, Women and Everything else in between. Besides every now and then, a healthy dose of sparkling Music and awesome hard to find Movies - for FREE!

Hear Now

Manifesto Existenso

Social Provocateur, Blogger, World Traveler, Cinephile, Music Collector, Marketeer, Photog / Lensman, Web Bandit, Anti Capitalist, Ghost Writer, Tastemaker, Misread Critic, Bootlegger, Design Geek, Green Activist, Futurist, OpenSourcer, Optimist, WebDJ and Curator of this Blog - at the Crossroads of Life! And an avid collector of Cinema and Music - have a personal collection of 15000+ Movies, 50000+ music tracks and much more. Send a request and it will be granted! Read More..

Legal Mumbo Jumbo

All the content - Music, Movies, Reviews, Articles and other stuff here are for your personal reading, hearing and viewing only. It has been gathered from around the world and is honestly meant to promote the original artists/creators so please don’t trip out. The Websnacker Blog simply acts as a tastemaker - a broadcaster letting you discover great content, hear fresh music and see amazing movies usually not covered by the mainstream media - an eclectic experience to see the world in a different perspective. However, in other words, if you happen to be one of the fancy pants that owns the copyright to stuff that you see here and don't agree with this act of goodwill, let me know and I will gladly remove the links as fast as you can say a Hip Hop, Be Bop, Don't Stop. Chill! Still waiting for an Alien Invasion!!!

Subscribe NOW

Essential Links

Copy Wrong

Unless explicitly indicated, all content here has been either authored, co-authored, produced, directed, composed, mixed or ghost written by the blog authors. Every effort has also been made to credit (and trace) the original copyright holders and if you're one among them, our most sincere apologies for the omission. Believe the Websnacker, its all in good faith so simply write in and it'll be set right in a presto. And to explain these totally impure actions, lets also quote Wilson Mizner and Stravinsky - "If you steal from one author, it's plagiarism; if you steal from many, its research!", "A good composer does not imitate, he steals". Peace!

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Doing a Jazz review is as subjective as any musical art, and what you dig may not be what your friend would like. That said, here is one classic jazz album from the 90s' – that set new standards for saxophone trio type post 50s "cool" jazz - The Branford Marsalis Trio and their album The Dark Keys
(Columbia Records, 1996).

That the eldest son of the famous Marsalis jazz clan chose to forgo self-promotion and record an album of standards with his father (Loved Ones) was a great thing. He took the time to re-hone his jazz chops in a relatively safe setting after his rather limiting stint as musical director of the Tonight Show. His 1996 release did sound like the venture paid off.

Branford returned with drumming mate Jeff Watts and bassist Reginald Veal, again eschewing the piano as he did on two previous releases, The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born and Bloomington. Never one to adhere to the stifling stylistic parameters set forth by his brother Wynton, Branford again produced a work of supreme power and beauty. The driving and slashing drum work of Watts, combined with the rock-steady rhythmic time and drive of Veal, provides the necessary framework for Branford to explore the pieces on the album as fully as possible.

Hard-driving modal excursions abound for both tenor and soprano, combined with nice mid-tempo and ballad features, pieces that reject the notion of maudlin no matter what notes he plays (in comparison to the absolutely atrocious version of "Maria" he recorded with his father). Joe Lovano and Kenny Garrett both make cameo appearances. Lovano's breathy, hard blowing provides the perfect counterpoint to Marsalis' rounder, more classic sound on "Sentinel". Garrett's alto is placed ever so precisely alongside Marsalis' soprano, with both men blowing heavily throughout "Judas Iscariot", the more staccato approach of Garrett intertwining beautifully with Marsalis' more legato phrasing.

This record proves that one does not have to overblow to be powerful. If you are a fan of Branford Marsalis, this classic record is a masterpiece that needs to be in your collection.

0
comments:

Post a Comment

Think of this blog as an alternative to your regular mainstream entertainment source. For most bloggers, writers and journalists after the blood, sweat and tears all they have is a paycheck at the end of the day but here, we have something better, our passion. Read on and you'll agree why this blog is different! And remember to like the Websnacker on Facebook and follow on Twitter!
As always, your comments, suggestions, and questions are welcome. Messages become property of the websnacker in terms to edit, publish, speak out loud or perform, commit to memory, show to my mom, or otherwise distribute.